17 Literary Magazines Accepting Submissions from Young?Writers
School literary magazines have long been a tradition in high schools and colleges. But since the advent of the Internet, youth-oriented literary magazines have expanded to include submissions from students all over the world. A good number of these magazines are staffed by students themselves.
Some of these magazines offer payment, but most do not. I have placed the paying markets at the top.
Also see: 18 Children’s and YA Magazines That Pay Writers. For more paying markets see: Paying Markets
Happy submitting!
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Age: 13–19
Genre: Short story
Payment: $500 and 25 copies of the journal
One Teen Story publishes 3 stories a year. “One Teen Story is looking for great short stories written by teens about the teen experience. Some examples of stories we look out for are ones that deal with issues of identity, friendship, family, and coming-of-age. Gratuitous profanity, sex, and drug use are best avoided. We’re open to all genres of well-written young adult fiction between 2,000 and 4,500 words.”
Guardian Angel Kids Online Magazine
Age: Up to 14
Genre: Stories and poetry
Payment: .03 cents per word for articles and stories. Poems $10. Photos $3 each with an article. Original Artwork $5–25 per illustration-One illustration/picture per article/story.
“Guardian Angel Publishing believes we can change the world by investing in children one child at a time. Our hope is that the seeds of the influence from our books will live longer than we do. Our goal is to build a harvest of knowledge and vibrant faith in kids to help transform a time in the future that we may never see.”
Age: 16 and up
Genre: Stories and poems
Payment: $25 to $150 and up
“Highlights is a general-interest magazine for children ages 6–12. By publishing stories, puzzles, articles, and activities that are fun and engaging, we aim to inspire kids to be their best selves–creative, curious, caring, and confident. Highlights was founded in 1946 by Dr. Garry Cleveland Myers and Caroline Clark Myers, and is still owned and run by their family. The magazine accepts no outside advertising and has no religious or organizational affiliation. Highlights has a circulation of about a million and is published monthly.”
Age: “We are particularly interested in considering stories from younger writers (under 18).”
Genre: YA fiction
Payment: $.08/word for original fiction of any length. For reprints, $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction
Cast of Wonders is a young adult short fiction market, open to stories up to 6,000 words in length. They want stories that evoke a sense of wonder, have deep emotional resonance, and have something unreal about them. “We aim for a 12–17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence or pervasive obscene language. Think Harry Potter or The Hunger Games. Stories are presented in audio format, which means our audience rarely skim past boring bits.”
Age: 13 and younger
Genre: Poetry and stories
Stone Soup is an established magazine for children. They have no minimum word length, but the maximum length for a story or personal narrative is 10,000 words. The majority of the stories they publish are only 2–5 pages long. “We publish stories on all subjects — dance, sports, problems at school, problems at home, magical places — and in all genres — literary fiction, science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, mystery; there is no limit to the subject matter of a Stone Soup story.” They accept prose and poetry. Poems and their weekly contest are free. Fiction and CNF have fees.
Age: 12–18
Genre: Prose and poetry
The Blue Pencil is a publication edited and produced by the Walnut Hill Writing, Film & Media Arts Department, and publishes literary work by high school writers, ages 12–18, from around the world.
Age: Teens
Genre: Comedy
The Milking Cat is an online comedy magazine dedicated to teen comedians. Founded in 2018, The Milking Cat was created by three high school juniors who wanted to spread their love of comedy.. Run by high school students across the country, the website publishes original comedy of all media types.
Age: Girls 8 and up
Genre: Fiction, poetry, personal essays, how-to articles, art, comics, photography
New Moon Magazine is aimed specifically at female tweens and teens, and offers them a place of inspiration, connection and support where they can stay deeply connected to their true interests, abilities, and hopes. The magazine is offered in both print and electronic format.
Age: High School students
Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction
“Polyphony Lit is a global online literary platform for high school students. We invite high school students worldwide to submit creative writing, join our editorial staff, write blog posts, take workshops, and grow into leadership roles. Because developing young writers is central to our mission, our editors provide feedback on every submission.” Submissions are open from July 1, 2020–April 30, 2021.
Age: 13 to 19
Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews, art
Teen Ink is a national magazine, book series, and website devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos, and forums. For over 25 years, it’s offered teens a place to publish their creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives.
Age: Up to age 19
Genre: All
Based in Burlington, Vermont, YWP is a community of young writers and artists who create and connect online at youngwritersproject.org, and in person, through words, photos, and art. “Since Young Writers Project started in 2006, it has been an oasis of civility and respect. More than 115,000 young people have participated in YWP, and it’s this culture of civility that continues to make YWP so incredible. YWP revolves around three core areas — the website, publications, and workshops — for young people between ages 13 and 19 (younger with parental permission).”
Age: High School students
Genre: All sorts of creative writing: poetry, slam, flash fiction, short fiction, creative non-fiction, hybrid, and whatever else you have.
“The WEIGHT is a literary blog for high school students who may find themselves in need of a creative outlet, about the pandemic or anything else. Everyone has something heavy to get off their chest.”
Age: High School and up
Genre: Poetry, art, and fiction
The Adroit Journal (ISSN 2577–9427) was founded in November 2010 by poet Peter LaBerge. At its foundation, the journal has its eyes focused ahead, seeking to showcase what its global staff of emerging writers sees as the future of poetry, prose, and art. “We’re looking for work that’s bizarre, authentic, subtle, outrageous, indefinable, raw, paradoxical. We’ve got our eyes on the horizon. Send us writing that lives just between the land and the sky.” Adroit also offers mentorships to young writers. Has submission periods.
Age: Students currently enrolled in grades 9 through 12
Genre: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screen writing, plays and visual art
The élan international student literary magazine produces two online editions a school year, one in the Fall and another in the Spring. The two editions are combined into a single print edition at the end of each school year. “We seek original, innovative, creative and nuanced work from around the world.” Has reading periods.
Age: 13–17
Genre: Fiction, poetry, flash prose, personal essay, YA, and creative nonfiction
School Lunch is a bi-weekly publication of Lunch Ticket catering to young writers. Lunch Ticket is a publication of the MFA community of Antioch University. “With a commitment to publishing the best literary writing and visual art, we encourage submissions from underrepresented and marginalized artists and writers.” Has reading periods.
Age: High School students
Genre: Prose, poetry, art
Levitate is a publication of the Creative Writing Department, The Chicago High School for the Arts. “We strive to assemble a collection of literature and art designed and written with purpose and demonstrating a passion for the work. We are open to unconventional work, while still appreciating the traditional. We are committed to publishing literature and art that is inclusive of diverse identities, perspectives, and crafts. We encourage new voices, but accept work from established artists and writers as well.” Has reading periods.
Age: High School students
Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and dramatic writing
Parallax Literary Magazine has been published by the Creative Writing department of Idyllwild Arts Academy since 1997. Idyllwild Arts Academy is a college preparatory boarding high school dedicated to the arts. In 2011 Parallax expanded by adding an online component, which accepts submissions from high school students worldwide. The website also showcases student book reviews and writer interviews.
Like this article? For more articles about the publishing world, useful tips on how to get an agent, agents who are looking for clients, how to market and promote your work, building your online platform, how to get reviews, self-publishing, as well as publishers accepting manuscripts directly from writers (no agent required) visit Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity.